Marine propulsion



Jan. 12 1926-. 1,569,497

J. A. JoHNsoN MARINE PROPULSION Jano y J. A. JOHNSON MARINE PROPULSION File'd llay 27, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 12, 192e.

srTS

ser .aerea JOHN A. JOHNSO, F LOS ANGELES, CALEORNIA.

MARINE PROPjULSION.

Application-milled May 27, 1925. Serial No. 33,253.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, Calif., 'in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful improvements in Marine Propulsions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for propelling marine craft and more particularly to a form wherein gases of combustion are used as a means of energy.

, rality o pistons working in cylinders from o which gases resulting from explosion of combustible mixtures are projected into the water in a directionto propel the craft by displacement of the water. In the preferred form the pistons themselves contain explosive chambers whereinA a compressed combustible mixture is exploded and from' which the exploded gases are discharged. An internal combustion engine of ordinary type for other prime mover may be employed for actuation of the pistons. The exploded gases are discharged into propulsion tubes which are adjustable to change the direction of the discharging ends thereof in order to change the directlon of travel of the craft ,upon which the device is used. The invention resides also in other combinations and' arrangement of parts and features of construction illustrated in the drawings iny cer# tain forms, described herein and pointed out in the claims. In vthe drawings: 1 v Eig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 1 1 of Flg. 2;

.Fig. 2 is partially an end elevation and partially atransverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 isa horizontal section through the gylimer head as takenon the line 3--3 of lgf v5 I I l Fig. 4 is chiefly a plan view representing vin more or less diagrammatic fashion the power plant of the present invention;

F ig. 5 is a vertical sectional detail through one of the pistons and its cylinder; and

Fig. 6 is a side elevation 'of the power plant complete, a portion of one of the water conducting tubes being broken away.

engine casing 41() is shown provided with laterally disposed water conducting tubes 12 which extend longitudinally of the craft into which there projects a plurality of adjustable .propulsion tubes 14 which have communication with a plurality of cylinders l5 carried in the casing 10. The 'means jlor adjusting the tubes 14 comprises a gear 16 carried by each tube engageable by a worm 17 on a longitudinally extending shaft 18. 'A shaft 18 is disposed on each istanti y yside of the engine for the operation of the two sets of tubes 14 into which gases are discharged from the opposite sides of the cylinders, said shafts 18 being operatedy through the medium of a wheel 20 which actuates a sprocket 22 fordriving a chain 24 connected with the shafts 18. By rotating the tubes 14 bythis means the direction ofthe craft may be readily changed.

' In`each ofthe cylinders 15 a piston 25 is reciprocably mounted, these pistons being v `operable through the medium of connecting rods 26 from a crankshaft C suitably journalled in bearings 27. Said crank shaft C is adapted to be actuated by any common type of internal combustion engine E such as that indicated wherein pistons 28 are employed to drive said shaft C through the 'medium of connecting rods 29. The pistons 28 are reciprocable in cylinders 3() which are charged andexhausted by way of valves 31 and 32 actuated by means of a cam shaft 33.

The explosive charges are drawn into the cylinders 30.past intake valves 31 from a manifold 34 supplied by a carburetor 35. Theactuation of the cam shaft 33 is properly timed with relation tothe cam shaft C through the medium of a gear connection 36 with a shaft 37 housed at 38 and con-- nected by gears 39 with said shaft C.

The admission of explosive ases to the cylinders 15 and the pistons 25.1s controlled through the medium of a shaft 40which is eared to the crank shaft C and extends ownwardly through the casing 10, the low i supplied by acarburetor 48 by way er end of the shaft being geared at 41 to a cam shaft 42 which operates a plurality of spring returned poppet valves 44. The explosive mixture is drawn past the valves 44 into the cylinders 15 from a plurality of manifolds 45 fed by passages 46 which pre o a manifold disposed at the side of the engine and'connected with the passages 46. As the pistons 25 are moved upwardly on their intake strokes through the medium of the pistons 28 and crankshaft C, the poppet valves 44 lare opened by the cam shaft 42 for intake of combustible mixture from the manifolds 45. Upon the down-stroke of said pistons 25 the valves 44 are closedand the gases are compressed between theV lower walls of the pistons and the lower walls of the cylinders l5, the compressed gases being then forced upwardly into a transversely disposed combustion chamber carried in each of the pistons 25, said gases being forced past a spring returned poppet valve 56 carried in the lower end of each piston. When thel next upfstroke commences each valve 56 is closed by its spring 57, thus trapping the compressed 1 gases in the explosion chamber 55. -As the upward movement continuesthe compressed explosive mixture in each chamber 55 is ignited by means of a spark plug S through Contact of a finger 58 carried by the spark y plug with a finger 59. Immediately followlng ignition of the explosive gases, the ends of each chamber 55 are brought into registry with ports 60 in the side walls of the cylindcrs l5 which ports lead to the propulsion til/bes- 14. In this manner full explosive force of the ignited mixture is transmitted directly to the tubes 14 and thereby projected longitudinally of the water conducting tubes 12 for propulsion of the craft in the desired direct-ion. For the purpose of starting, one end of the crank shaft C is provided with a ratchet for engagement by a crank whereby the explosive engine E, which actuates the pistons 28 will be4 started and in this manner start operation of the pistons 25. It will be clear from the foregoing that intake of explosive mixture by way of the poppet valves 44 will take place upon each upstroke of the pistons 25 and that said mixture will be compressed upon each down-stroke tliereof and be forced y into the explosion chambers' 55, wherein said mixture will be trapped and the/.full force of the explodedV gases will be retained until the ends of each chamber 55 are brought into registry with the ports 60 leading to the propulsion tubes 14. It will also be clear that the discharge ofthe exploded gases through the tubes 14 will propel the craft and that reversal of the position of said tubes 14 will reverse the tlmrewithin, means for actuating the piston, and propulsion tubes for recei-ving exploded gases from the combustlon chambers,

said tubes being adjustable to change the direction of travel of the vessel upon which the device is used.

3. In adevice of the character disclosed,

al piston having a combustion" chamber therewithin, means for actuating the piston,

and means for receiving an exploded charge from said chamber for operatlon of the device.

4. In a device of the character disclosed,

a piston having combustion chambers therewithin, an engine for actuating said pistons, means for supplying an explosive mixture to said chambers, means for igniting the same, and propulsion means for receiving exploded gases from the chamber after ignition. .v

5.r In a device of the character disclosed, an internal combustion engine including a cylinder, a reciprocable piston in the cylinder having a combustion chamber therewithin, means to supply an explosive gas to the cylinder, said piston being adapted to compress the gas in the cylinder at one end of a stroke, a valve in the end of the piston to permit the compressed gas to enterthe combustion chamber, means to ignite the compressed gas as the piston approaches the opposite end of a stioke, said cylinder having-a support 'for escape of exploded gas after,\ ignition, and means to receive the exploded gas for actuation of the device.

6. In marine craft, an internal combustion engine including pistons each having a combustion chamber therewithin, water receiving conduits, and` propulsion tubes extending into the said conduits to receive bers.

7.v In marine craft, an internal combustion engine 'including pistons eachhaving a combustion chamber therewithin, .water rece1v1ng conduits and propulsion tubes extending into the said conduits to receive ex ploded gases fromthe combustion chambers, said propulsion tubes .being rotatable to change t e direction of movement of the craft.

l JOHN A. JOHNSON. 

